The Heavy Heart

Tiffany Walke Peterson shared the following article in an email and I asked if we could post it here.  She graciously accepted.

Perhaps right now, your heart is aching. You may be facing great uncertainty in your life, your finances, your marriage, health, or career. Your circumstances may find you currently out of work or behind on your bills. You may be feeling lonely and unloved. Or you feel overwhelmed and frazzled and Christmas has become one more source of stress versus joy.

If I may, I’d like to speak directly to the heavy hearted this Christmas season. Last night as I was going to bed, I had the clear impression and inspiration to write this email. I thought it interesting considering it wasn’t planned nor the traditional holiday wishes. Yet, it was clear and inspired so here it is.

I too know what it’s like to have a Christmas where your heart is breaking. Where you feel so alone, scared, unsure, or simply without the joy of Christmas in your heart. Years ago at Christmas, I found my marriage in shambles and my heart broken. As one who typically loves the holidays with great passion, that year I couldn’t wait for December 26th to get here. I was sad, scared, and really unsure of where my life was going. Yet in the midst of that darkness, there were many glimmers of hope and light from God, angels, and dear family and friends – if I chose to see them. It was a time of great seeking and searching to know what to do, where to turn, and what choices to make. And in that searching, I did experience many choice spiritual experiences that touched my heart in a profound way.

Although I may not know the details of what you’re going through, I do know the following truths apply to you, your life and potential, and what is available to you.

1. You are never alone. Ever. No matter what it “feels” like, you are not alone. You have a Maker who knows you and your needs and who loves and cares for you. You are always surrounded by LOVE and you are being watched over.
2. God/Universe/Angels wait to assist you to guide your path and your decisions. They can never force anything so it is up to us to ask for their divine help and direction. They are always available, no matter where you’re at or the struggles you’re facing.
3. From our greatest struggles can come our greatest strengths. There are lessons within your challenges. Go to meditation, prayer, or reflection and ask yourself, “What is this here to teach me? What is the gift of this?” As Napoleon Hill once taught, “With every adversity is the seed of greater opportunity.” There are gems for you where you are right now, even if you can’t see them just yet.
4. Focus on what you are grateful for right now, no matter how small it may seem. Gratitude changes our heart and our mindset. It helps us to see the bright, glimmers of hope and goodness and in doing so, it can help your heavy heart feel lighter.
5. “The best way to heal a broken heart is to serve others.” I heard this advice in the thick of my heavy hearted season. It was simple, true, and profound for me. It’s been said that when we lift others, we lift ourselves. I find this to be true. Reach out to someone else – offer a compliment, offer to help, buy their coffee in line, or some other gesture that serves someone else. When we focus on helping others, we do help ourselves.
6. Finally, increase your self care. Watch your favorite movie or cuddle up with a good book. Take a hot bath or make your favorite treat. Increase doing kind things for yourself that bring you joy or happiness. When our hearts our heavy, it’s important to be kind and loving towards ourselves.

The true spirit of Christmas or the spirit of the Season as you may say, is about a special feeling, about love, about a certain attitude more than it is about anything external. If you look for it, through the darkness and sadness you may be feeling right now, there are embers of hope, love, and peace within.

I promise you that LIFE has great things in store for you. I promise you that you will not always feel so heavy hearted. I promise you that your Maker is with you, even now, to comfort you and guide your steps. There will be seasons of joy for you.

If this speaks to you, if this was written for you, I send a prayer for you with this email that you may feel hope and love within these words and within your heart this day.

Bless you, sweet warrior. You have what it takes to prevail and you will get through whatever you’re facing.

With great love for you,

Tiffany

Tiffany Walke Peterson is on of Startup Princess’ Fairy Godmothers.  Before founding her own company, Tiffany  worked with and for many popular authors and groups, both selling and teaching the content for Franklin Covey, Jack Canfield, and Robert Kiyosaki, of the world famous Rich Dad, Poor Dad series.  Tiffany received many promotions in her corporate life experience, managing multiple sales teams and projects, with a responsibility for sales budgets that ranged from $7.5 million to $40 million in annual sales revenue. Due to her record breaking sales achievements, she was sought after to train and mentor her proven sales style, process, and techniques to other sales associates, of which ultimately led her career and her passion for training, speaking, and coaching to evolve into what is now her own business. Tiffany has successfully trained and coached hundreds of sales people, with an average of 30% increase in sales revenue due to her proven methods.   Tiffany is the Founder and President of The Lighthouse Principles, Inc, a training and development firm offering proven methods and strategies to align individuals and organizations in creating success with their own goals, results, and purpose.

Your Why

What are you passionate about?  When you are talking with your family and friends, what lights up your eyes, puts a smile on your face and gets you excited to just thinking about it?  Is it love? Money? Politics? Success? Health? Happiness? Business?  The next question can be pretty telling.  Do you get AS excited about your business as you do about the subject that makes you giddy to talk about?  I hope so.  If the answer is no, I want you to look critically about the thing that you do with your time that doesn’t absolutely light up your life.  If the answer is yes, you are probably pretty motivated by “your why”.  What I love about working with women entrepreneurs is that most are driven by one of two things (hopefully both!).  They are either SUPER passionate about what they do in their business, or they are super passionate about WHAT their business provides for them (lifestyle, food on the table, roof over their heads, etc.).  This passion is critical to your every day happiness and success and sometimes even if your passionate about what it’s providing for you, it can still be tiring and hard sometimes.

I just finished reading the New York Times Bestselling book “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine.  It was a great book about success.  It was a quick read and the concepts were fantastic.  One of the things that I like about Darren Hardy is his campaign to free homes of television.  Though I’m not THAT extreme in my own home, this book reminded me to be REALLY careful about what I put in my brain.  “Garbage in, garbage out,” says Hardy.  We fill our minds with all kinds of depression and destruction and then expect to have our minds fueled with success and joy.  He doesn’t watch one bit of news media.  But, like me, he’s turned his car into a rolling university where he listens to good books while he’s commuting or traveling.  He’s filling his mind with good stuff. Since September, I’ve finished 9 books on the subjects of business, success, and work/life priority.  I read some, and I listen to some in the car.  I highly recommend this success principle of filling your mind with good non-fiction that keeps you motivated but ALSO keeps you at the top of your industry.   Some of the concepts in his book I’ve read in other places.  That never gets me frustrated, it just reminds me that success really is about universal truths, we just get to pick if we’re going to act on the wisdom of the greats.

I digress.  I intended to write a full review on the book, but my heart wants to take me elsewhere.   Hardy talks in his book about “Your Why” and I reflected on this A LOT this year.

When I hired my first success coach this summer to really launch my speaking career, one of the most powerful exercises she took me through was, “Your Why”.  I was trying to fine tune my topic and area of expertise and she asked me a series of questions that were easy for me to answer.  I truly wish the entire world was happier.  I truly wish that everyone realized that with some simple choices, they could choose to be happier.  I love helping women entrepreneurs find joy in business without sacrificing their personal lives.  While we were talking I was so full of passion that I was doing laps around my dining room table.  These weren’t new realizations to me, and they were easy to talk about, but then she had me write it down.  I was amazed at how easy it was for me to write down a page of things that were really motivating me to share my message with the world.

So my question for you, again, is this?  What makes you giddy?  What makes you SO excited that you have a hard time sleeping at night because you WANT to work?  I want to invite you to create your “My Why” paper.  Why do you do what you do every day? What do you want change about your world?  Who do you want to influence and how?  Then, I want you to summarize that why and put it on a 3 x 5 card, just as my coach told me to do.  Put it somewhere you can see it every day.  This card is taped to my bathroom mirror.  I see it 5 or more times a day.  It keeps me constantly grounded in my “movement” and drives my days with passion.

Your why is one piece of your success puzzle and staying grounded in your passion can help you get through the dips that you encounter on this path of entrepreneurship.

Let’s talk more…What is your why?  What motivates you to do what you do?  Share with us in the comments below!

Michelle McCullough is the Managing Director for Startup Princess.  Michelle became a partner in Startup Princess  in 2008.  She is responsible for event planning, marketing, affiliates, sponsorships and partnerships. Over the past 3 years she has coached women entrepreneurs and helped them grow their businesses from “dream in development” to established thriving businesses.  Michelle is a speaker, strategist, success coach and a serial entrepreneur. She started Doodads Promotional Products when she was 19. And has also spent the last 12 years working in marketing and advertising. She’s worked in all aspects of the industry from production to creative and sales to management. On top of her full-time jobs, Michelle has cultivated her love for entrepreneurship by running Doodads as a successful side business. In 2008 when Michelle quit her full-time job to be home more with her newborn son, she moved Doodads to the front burner and doubled the income in 2008 and doubled it again in 2009.  Today it continues to thrive.  This year Michelle launched a coaching program called “The Life Balance Myth” to help busy entrepreneurs build thriving businesses AND meaningful personal lives.  She believes that life balance is a myth, but she provides practical tools to achieve personal and professional success.  You can learn more about Michelle at SpeakMichelle.com Michelle has 2 children under 4 and lives in Utah.

How I Lost 15K, got Flipped Off, Fat…and Happy

Another great article from Fairy Godmother Heather Madder.  If you want to learn more of Heather’s secrets on running a successful business and be a connected mom, check out her audio series.

For a long time I searched for happiness in perfection.  I was looking for heaven, hoping that I’d find it in some distant day ahead of me.  I wanted to be “good.” Actually, I wanted to be “good enough.” I wanted to be smart enough, pretty enough, a good enough mom, and a good enough church member.

And none of it happened.  I was never good enough.  Year after year, I “tried”  and damn, I tried hard.  I gave it everything I had.  I got up early to exercise, meditate, pray, feed my kids healthy food, read scriptures to them and off to school. Then when they were away, I’d organize my house, buy the groceries, and make money being a “good” coach.  I’d work my little bootie off until my “night shift” started when the kids came home from school. Then I’d get the kids to practice, get a healthy dinner, get their chores done, get the scriptures read, get the teeth brushed, get the nightly reading in….and finally get myself into bed just seconds before crashing to the floor.

I was a Grade A, number one, class act…self abuser living with the belief that WHEN I accomplished it all… THEN I’d be good enough.

And I never was.  I was organized, but unhappy.  I was thin, but controlling.  I was “spiritual” (yeah whatever) and down on myself and others around me. I was running a race that I could never, ever, ever win.

I was the one who had set up the game…and every single day I failed.

Then one day, I saw the madness of it and it stopped me in my tracks.  “Wait…just…one minute!” I screamed in my tired mind. “I have set up a game that cannot even…be… won!”

My conclusion: EPIC FAILURE.

I wasn’t the failure, the game was the failure.  I’d never be good enough someday.  I was never ever going to get to a point where I’d be happy and content. I was addicted to the future, addicted to an imaginary results that would never come to me.  And I was missing L_I_F_E  in the meantime. I was going to be good enough right now, or I was never going to be.  Ever.  If a game can never be won, it just should not be played.

So, I trashed it and set up a whole new system…and that’s when my whole life changed.

I began to live and live on purpose in the pursuit of freedom.  Outwardly, my life probably looked somewhat the same, I mean I still did most of the same things I had done before.  I still prayed, meditated, exercised (mostly) and parented my children, but inwardly, the game had been completely re-structured to a scenario that I WON every single day.

I called it: HAPPY FROM HERE.

Essentially, I fell in love with the present moment.  I married my mind to reality. I loved reality, I’d make out with reality if that were possible, and I chose be happy with WHATEVER EXISTED in my LIFE at the TIME that it showed up….

When I gained three pounds the week before I was to film a marketing funnel…That was REALITY.  Since I had chosen to love reality, I was happy because I gained the weight, believing that it was better for me and my body to be at 140 instead of 137.  Did I work to change it?  Well yes, but happily, only after I fell in love with it first.

When a $15,000 contract fell through…That was REALITY. So I was happy that they didn’t sign and I looked for reasons why it was better for them, and better for me that the agreement didn’t take place.  And I found them!

When my son came home and said he couldn’t play in the soccer game because he missed an assignment in class…That was REALITY. I was happy for him to have that experience and happy that I didn’t have to sit in 100 degree weather for an hour and went home to watch television with a tall glass of parkling lime water.

When I was texting in the movie theater and a woman yelled at me from 10 feet away and flipped me off when I walked past her…That was REALITY. So I was happy to be in that amazing exchange with her. I was delighted by it and had I not been due back at work, I would have grabbed my flip cam and interviewed her after the show to ask about what the experience was like for her, as I genuinely wanted to know.

HAPPY from HERE became my little secret…and it worked for me like magic.  It unravelled the madness in my mind that life should be different than it was at the moment or that I should be somewhere else other than HERE. It never meant that I didn’t take action to create the things that I wanted.  But it did mean that I WAS FREE as I was creating them.

Because HERE was good enough…and anything more was just a bonus.

And I was good enough.

And I LIFE was one happy, magical moment after another…and that has been the best  game I’ve ever played.

Heather Madder is a professional speaker, writer, and former-talkshow host turned business coach. She is the successful owner of HeatherMadder.com. In her own words, “The mission of my organization is to empower humanity to awaken to love, peace, joy, power, abundance, and freedom by offering educational and hands-on tools in the form of books, audio CD’s, articles, and live presentations.” Connect with Heather on twitter @heathermadder

Why I Traded “Making it Big”…for Making it Now

Startup Princess Fairy Godmother Heather Madder shares some amazing tips about giving up what you THINK you want for what you really want!

“Making it big” was killing my peace and when I opened my eyes, it turned out to be a useless endeavor.

If you are so focused on getting somewhere else, you are completely lost to where you are right now.  You are stuck in a concept, a false story of a future that doesn’t even exist anywhere, except in your own dreamed up thought world.

For years I had plans to “make it big.” I wanted to write the next bestselling book, hit the biggest stages and start a talk show just like Oprah. I mean what up and coming speaker doesn’t want that. We were a dime a dozen, and our wisdom was worth about the same price.

I became a slave to accomplishments–the next big sale, the next big product launch, the next new coaching program.  Because in those things, I saw “myself.”  I saw the lady that I wanted to be and she was someone else other than who I was.

She was thinner, richer, and more important than the current version.  She was happier, lovelier, and more people knew who she was.  I wanted to be her because she was a better version of me.  And she didn’t exist anywhere except in a pretend stage in my mind.

I gave her up in search of liberty.

If I couldn’t be “her” now, I wouldn’t be her EVER.

I replaced “Making it Big” with “Making it NOW.

It’s my own little magical secret to paradise.

In this happy place, “I” have disappeared.  The “I” that needed something for itself through a BIG career.  It has become replaced with love for others and a desire for new experience.  I want to learn that’s why I “teach.”  I want people to be free, that’s why I “coach.”  I want to grow, that’s why I “create.”  I want to “love” that’s why I welcome people into my life.  Those are the reasons for the movement in the thing that most people call a “job,” which for me has become a straight path to enlightenment.

Deleting my ego and it’s addiction to the future has been the fastest way to freedom.

No one needs to know who I am.

I know myself and I love that person and that is how I found freedom. I don’t need people to know me, congratulate me, compliment me, or even be grateful for me, in order for me to feel good about what I do.

Feeling good RIGHT NOW is all I have…there is no other place but here.

When I have JOY in what I am doing right now, I am complete and the payoffs for my work are INSTANTLY DELIVERABLE.  There is no future pay off in them, because the dividends are taken home today. The future has become like a lost world for me and I have no desire to find it, because there are no better riches there for me than the ones I have already obtained.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t keep accomplishing more, meeting more people and making more money because all of that has happened for me.  It is easier now.  It almost comes faster now, unexpectedly and with total gratitude.

Today, I have no career plans to “make it big” someday.  I wake up in the morning and the first moment I am aware of myself, I open my heart and my mind and seek Divine Will.  When I get out of bed, I have One Objective–follow the Inner Voice.  The Inner Voice leads only to the highest good.  Some days it says to create videos.  Somedays it says clean the kitchen (not very often on that one  Today it said to call a colleague and within five seconds of the message being given, her line was ringing.  She was struggling in her marriage.  I coached her by asking certain questions about how to be free, even if her husband didn’t change.  Questions she did not expect to hear.  Questions I did not expect to ask.  But they came to me and I asked them and she hung up happy.

I hung up happy, too.  She committed to try my new coaching program and thought she might promote it to her entire student base.   I didn’t expect that. I didn’t plan it–there is no way that I would have ever planned it because I thought she wouldn’t be a candidate for it.  Divine Will knew otherwise.  Divine Will said “call her.”  I called her.  Divine Will is like that, giving and giving and giving everything to me that I need to succeed today, and far beyond it.

I still make plans, yes.  Some of you meticulous types are probably going to leave a comment that says “Failing to plan is planning to fail   Just to be sure, I do set goals and objectives and task lists (Divine Will even dictates the planning hours.)…but I don’t attach expectation to them.  Even as I set the plans, I know they will turn out differently.  I know they will be better. I know they will lead me to LEARN more than I could have ever imagined or set forth on my own agenda.  I know that all will be provided for me.  I know that today, this very moment, I can be successful in who I am and love that place wholeheartedly.

Tonight, Divine Will said it was time to write this article. I am on a house boat with my family and some friends at Lake Powell.  Instead of our indoor cabin (with a sign that says Clothing Optional at the door, which made us laugh  my husband and I opted for a bed under the stars on the highest deck of the boat. I laid my head on his chest with his arm around my shoulders and we watched the sky until he fell asleep.

As I stared at the heavens, I felt so small and so huge at the same time.

Like God could swoop me right up with a giant cupped hand, take me home, and I’d disappear into nothing and end up with everything.

It was so beautiful.  It was just like my life.

Heather Madder is a professional speaker, writer, and former-talkshow host turned business coach. She is the successful owner of HeatherMadder.com. In her own words, “The mission of my organization is to empower humanity to awaken to love, peace, joy, power, abundance, and freedom by offering educational and hands-on tools in the form of books, audio CD’s, articles, and live presentations.” Connect with Heather on twitter @heathermadder

The #2 Question I’ve Been Asked While Working With Women Entrepreneurs

The number 1 question I get asked all the time is, “Michelle, How do I find more clients?”  We’ll talk about that another time in an upcoming marketing series.

What I really want to talk about is the second question I get asked the most:

“How do I have a thriving business without sacrificing my personal life?”

I used to answer ,”If you find out, let me know!” and I was supposed to be the expert!?

Do you ever feel overwhelmed?  Unfulfilled?  Out of balance?  At the end of your day do you wonder where all that time went?  Have a list of to-dos that seems to get longer instead of shorter?  Have you tried to “balance” your life, but easily slip back into old routines?

You aren’t alone! I’ve been coaching small business owners through Startup Princess for the last 3 years.  I discovered that when there is a problem at the office, there’s usually a personal problem as well.  Especially for women.  They’re trying to balance growing a business and raising a family or have a satisfying personal life and wondering, “What’s the secret?  Other people seem to have it all, why can’t I?”

Then it happened to me.  In January of 2010 I was running 3 businesses, heavily involved in my church service, and I had just had my second child.  I was trying to balance having a toddler and a newborn, maintain a happy marriage, keep my businesses afloat and still have time for service and myself.  I kept looking around at other successful women entrepreneurs who seemed to have it all together and I went in search of what they had.   Frankly, things got worse.  Then through trial and error and honestly trying every life balance and time management program on the planet, I still felt like something was missing.  I realized life balance is a MYTH (gasp!) and I decided I needed to create a program that did a better job of focusing on my most important roles and responsibilities.

After tears and inspiration, I created the Life Priority System.  When I share this with clients and friends they love me for it and I’m dying to share it with you, my Startup Princess friends.  I’ve created an event to help you manage your life’s work.  You’ll also learn how to get your loved ones on board with your dreams!  Whether you’re a full-time parent, a full-time entrepreneur, a full-time employee or some mix of the above, my system is designed to help you to bring greater meaning to the things most important to you.

I share these secrets with my coaching and business clients for hundreds of dollars, but in this introductory workshop, I’m sharing my best stuff for $25.  It’s NOT introductory in content.  It’s introductory in price and offering to you.   And really, what is your life worth?  How much would you spend to learn tools that can bring you happiness and fulfillment?

In addition to rich content, you’ll receive the Life Balance Myth Workshop workbook, and additional conference materials.  I want you to have the tools you need to be successful when you leave so I’m pulling out all the stops and putting my best stuff in the materials.

BONUS #1 – I’m hosting a “pre-party” with Stand Up Speed Networking.  It’s been a while since we’ve had an event in Utah County, so I thought it would be fun for all of us to catch up!  Register for the event and get the Networking add on for FREE!

BONUS #2 – The first 30 people who register by Monday, October 17th will receive a 10 page Joy Journal starter kit (both in print and in digital format).

FINALLY, if you enter code: startup you’ll get 20% off.  Since all of this was inspired by Startup Princesses across the country, I want you to get a deal!

AND, if you’re not completely satisfied with the content and tools I share, I’ll give you your money back, no questions asked.  Simply see me or one of my event staff members at the end of the event and we’ll refund your money.

Reserve your spot and register today!

Event Details: Thursday, October 20th, 2011 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM (Will be available for out of towners the coming weeks.)

Tahitian Noni Visitors Center – Provo, UT – Outrigger Conference Room (No, there will not be a network marketing presentation.  They offer affordable meeting space available for community events and I like their location!)

Michelle McCullough is the Managing Director for Startup Princess.  Michelle is speaker, strategist, success coach, and serial entrepreneur.  Before Startup Princess, Michelle has spent the last 12 years working in marketing and advertising. She’s worked in all aspects of the industry from production to creative and sales to management. On top of her full-time jobs, Michelle has cultivated her love for entrepreneurship by running a successful business, Doodads, a promotional products company.  Michelle and her husband are the parents of two children ages 3 and 1, and live in Utah.  Follow Michelle success tips in her personal site speakmichelle.com

The Most Liberating Thing I’ve Ever Done – Selling Most of Our Belongings & Renting a Furnished House

Friends, I’m in the middle of a major move only it doesn’t feel so major because many of my belongings aren’t coming with us- they are being sold because we’re moving into a beautiful furnished home. Stuff I’m keeping include antique dishes, journals, books, photos, a box of Christmas decorations, clothes, camping gear, a box of toys for each child and some other essentials. I have a few favorite pieces of furniture that my friend is going to babysit for me if I ever want them back. I feel so freed up by our decision- completely liberated! Even though I completely adored our home and all of the beauty we created, it feels great to share and let go…and do something completely new and different. Here’s my current living room.

Why are we doing this? We decided earlier this year to move 45 minutes north and put our kids in a special private school. To make this happen we had to sell our house which fortunately closes this week. We thought initially we’d buy another house in the area but then as life began to unfold more options and possibilities revealed themselves and now we’re feeling like being super flexible and unattached to a home mortgage.

We are putting trust and faith in God and asking a lot of questions right now such as, “Where do you want us to be?” “What’s possible for our family?” “What type of home do we want to live in?” “What lifestyle do we want?” We will not be tied to a city, a home, a school, etc. We’re playing life day by day and asking what’s next.

I love that Startup Princess and the work I do with doTERRA as a distributor can be done worldwide and there are real possibilities to enjoy and create outside of Utah- our home for the last 14 years. I would love to give my children experiences abroad or in another state. So this year is the year of dreaming and planning…and taking action on what we feel will be best for our family. In the meantime, I love that we are adventurous enough to let go of the control and embrace the beauty of the unknowns and letting God fill in the details.

Because we made this decision to move forward on a rental, an amazing home became available that is beyond my dreams in an upscale neighborhood close to the private school where my kids will attend – furnished by my favorite store even called GateHouse in Utah. The talented owner is an interior designer and has impeccable taste. She too wanted to create something different this year for her family and they are going somewhere special for the school year.  It’s amazing how like-minded people with similar style and needs found each other through a classified ad and we both couldn’t be happier. Not to mention their home backs up to open space, home to deer. It’s super nurturing and lovely. Here’s a photo of their beautiful house.

Since letting go of what I thought was expected or next for us (buying a house) then this blessing came forward and we get to experience something so much more than we would have created otherwise. I feel God’s lining up all the details and can’t wait to see how this will influence all of our experiences as a family and business owners. Already just seeing the tender mercies I’m feeling more confident that living abroad could happen and life will continue to be a gift of wonder and miracles.

Question for you.. Have you ever done something courageous? What impact did it have on your life and business? Please leave a comment on this post. Thanks!

Kelly King Anderson, Startup Princess Founder/Managing Director

Health is Wealth – My Top 10 Tips

It’s so true! “Health is Wealth”, you hear it and until you’re fading and broken you don’t consider the value of this statement. Today I’m thinking about it.

I can honestly say that I’ve been testing my health to the limits this Spring. I haven’t been eating as well as I know I should nor getting the amount of sleep that I know I need. After quite a bit of traveling and the stress of selling our home, my body is starting to shout at me and tell me to S-L-O-W down. It happens to the best of us, we go-go-go and then our body says, NO MORE!! So I’m obeying, I am saying no to invitations this week and going to be doing a lot more self care. That said, I generally have excellent health and I can’t think of a day I’ve spent in bed (besides food poisoning and pregnancy) in years.

Here’s a few tips that have helped me:

1. I believe in the power of pure, filtered water. 1/2 body weight in ounces a day.

2. I eat primarily a vegetarian type diet. I eat meat very sparingly, once a week. I make a lot of smoothies, especially green ones with spinach or collard leaves. I try to buy organic when possible.

3. I take supplements and love Omegas. I use doTERRA essential oils, in fact I’m a distributor of them and use them to completely replace my medicine cabinet. Feel free to ask me questions about them if you like. simpleabundance (at) gmail (dot) com is my email for that. I also have found it to be an amazing business, I’m making a generous full time salary with part-time effort.

4. I live near nature and spend a lot of time (when weather is good) going on walks and being outside

5. I take time for self-care. I get massages, go to the spa, get my hair done. I wear clothes that are in season, fashionable, and look good on my body type and coloring. I wear makeup. I adore jewelry.  When I feel good on the inside, I feel great on the outside but the opposite is also true, when you feel good on the outside it helps you feel good on the inside!

6. I am a huge believer in therapy. I believe that if we don’t take care of our pain and emotional challenges they will show up in our body and we will pay for it. I go to Deena Jordan for energy work. Deena does sessions over the phone and is very good at identifying the root of our suffering, asking the right questions to release and help the client let it go. I recommend at least 3 sessions to get started. I try to have 1 session a month. I also go to Karyn Grant, she is in Utah County and specializes in music, massage, and aromatherapy to heal the mind, body, and spirit. I’ve gone to Karyn for 8 years and she is excellent at what she does, her work is based in healing through Christ. I have coached with Heather Madder and highly recommend her audios, coaching, and healing work. She has a lot to offer in this area. All these women are very talented, intuitive, and I trust them 100%.

7. I believe in natural health care and recommend Laura Jacobs and team for bio scans at Herbs for Health in Pleasant Grove. With a scan they can identify what is going on in your body, mind, and spirit and see what supplements, dietary needs you may have, and other supportive methods will help you get to feeling better. I have been going every 6 months or so and bring my children as well. They use a variety of natural health products and I’ve had excellent results.

8. I try to SLEEP deeply and well. I take naps at least once a week and I am committed to getting better at this at night!

9. I have found exercise that resonates with me- running/walking in nature, yoga, biking, and horseback riding (although I rarely have the opportunity! i want to create more of this). I have had a personal trainer off/on and I love the results physically from toning up.

10. I am committed to my faith and I know there is power in health when you have a clear mission, identity, and choose to be an instrument for God to do His work. I know that when I pray sincerely, study scripture, attend church and temple regularly I am blessed to fulfill my work at home and beyond with more strength and passion.

It’s always good to review what works for us in regards to our health, what about you? I’d love to hear what has been helpful for you.

This post was written by Kelly King Anderson, Founder  of Startup Princess. Reach her here by leaving a comment or by messaging/following her on Twitter @startupprincess

Do You Have A Hard Time Saying No? READ THIS!

Adjectives, Nouns and Verbs…Oh My!

By Susan Bock

Do you have any special memories about a favorite (or not-so-favorite) English teacher from your early school years?  I do – her name was (I say was because she seemed ancient at my tender age of 9) Miss Clausen, and I have very fond memories of her.  Her wrinkles, gray hair and ‘old lady shoes’ could not compete with her warm smile, words of encouragement and caring manner in which she patiently taught us the building blocks of constructing a sentence. Although I may have loathed the drills, memorization and effort required, today, I am grateful.

The words we chose to use, the sentence construct, and the pesky punctuation, come together and send a message – to ourselves and to whoever is listening.  Where am I going with this?  To a subject that emerging business owners need to take seriously….setting goals.

Here is the question: Why do we need to set goals?  Author Lewis Carroll (Alice in Wonderland) provides us with the answer; “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”  Goals give us direction, clarity and a map.  I recently read an article by Martha Beck where she talked about the importance of adjectives when setting goals.  A common occurrence is to set a goal using nouns and verbs – ex. I want my business to succeed, or I want to find a life-mate.  The noun – success or life-mate, often leads to disappointment or outright failure.

Dictionary.com provides this definition:  An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words.  The key words are describing, identifying or quantifying.  When we utilize specific, descriptive words in our goals, they become much more powerful, alive and meaningful.

Here’s a tip, after writing your goal, add one more sentence about how achieving that goal will make you feel.   Again, use adjectives to describe what you will experience when your goal is achieved.  Business success may give you financial security, a means to travel or provide a life-style you desire.  A life-mate will make you feel loved, cherished, have companionship and be a trusted mate.  See how powerful the adjectives can be?  Another benefit is that in listing the adjectives, you may discover that what you thought you wanted is not what you ‘really’ want.  Again, a powerful discovery to make.

Here are the steps suggested by Ms. Beck to help you achieve the experiences you want.

1. Pick a goal: Think of the typical noun-verb goal, such as I want to lose weight.
2. Look forward: You do not need a crystal ball.  Use your grey matter – engage your brainpower and imagine what your life would be like if you realized your goal.  Create details, get specific, and live there for a few moments to take in the powerful feelings.
3. Adjectives on stage: Here is the heart of creating successful goals.  List all of the adjectives that describe how you feel in #2 – again, be specific.  Spend time here and wander through the various emotions, sensations and feelings such as energetic, focused, delighted, powerful.
4. Focus: Now, step out of the fantasy and back into your reality while you concentrate on your list of adjectives.  Is your stated goal sharper, more defined?  Does it feel real? If your goal is to lose weight and your adjectives are strong, confident, and healthy, you might realize that your actual goal is to get fit.  That rules out crash/fad/short-term fixes.  Rather, you might what to consult with a nutritionist, hire a personal trainer, and create new experiences around eating.

Sounding a little woo-woo?  Yes, it is.  And, that does not negate the fact that it works!  Our words are powerful – to us and to others.  When you find yourself longing for some unrealized circumstances, indulge yourself and search for the meaningful adjectives.  One day, perhaps in the near future, you could find yourself experiencing those very words.

Guiding women through the halls of uncertainty toward the successful future they are destined to create.

Susan@SusanBock.com

www.SusanBock.com

714-847-1566

As little girls we dream about our fairytale future …as teenagers we vow to do everything better than those before us …then something incredible happens. It’s called life, and it takes us for quite a ride. Sure, some of us get the fairytale …whatever that is… but what about the rest of us, OUTSIDE the castle?

At the age of 48, I chose to leave the corporate world and embark on a more selfless path of helping other women find the confidence to handle their problems. I pride myself on being both a mentor and guide to women who question their own strength. I am passionate about helping my female clients discover and harness their true decision-making potentials.

It’s Never Too Late For a Game Changing Resolution

By Cindy W. Morrison

It’s never too late for a game changing resolution…even in the middle of March. If you haven’t noticed we seem to make the same resolutions over and over again: Lose weight. Quit smoking. No more cussing. Maybe we opt for the same things every year because it’s easy and comfortable. Maybe we target a vice because TV commercials and society tell us we “should”. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with dropping a bad habit, but what if this year, you resolve not to lose but instead gain?

That’s why I decided to up the ante and tackle something for my 2011 resolution that would really change my life: make more money in 2011. And I’m not talking about a 5-10% increase, like those obligatory 5-10 pounds we discuss year after year. I’m talking about adding a zero on the end of my annual income. Want to join me because with the right plan, it IS attainable in 2011.

Step One: Getting the RIGHT Coach

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is NO magic pill. No matter what your resolution, there is no easy way to make it instantly happen. But getting the RIGHT person to help you come up with a game plan is vital. As for me? I don’t mess around. I got two of the best coaches in the country to help my 2011 resolution come true:Tory Johnson from Good Morning America and small business coach Michelle Pippin. Tory and I met through twitter a year ago and I got to know Michelle when I attended their firstSpark and Hustle conference in Atlanta last summer. The conference is all about helping women entrepreneurs and small business owners make sure their profits equal their passion. I loved what I learned so much that I made the investment to do their income intensive.

They helped me realize I’d built a wildly popular brand in record time with zero budget and I sold more copies of my book“Girlfriends 2.0″ in the first month of release than the vast majority of first time authors EVER sell. But if I want to truly add a zero on to what I’d already done, I needed to develop programs to coach others how to do what I’ve done. We put the wheels in motion for my new consulting business called SOCIALVENTION: coaching folks how to reinvent or up their game by strategically using social media and networking.

(Remember.. your coach is an INVESTMENT! Don’t agree to get training wheels from the chick down the street who thinks she might be a great life coach. And you’re never too old, good or wealthy to have a coach. The best coaches I know have a coach themselves to stay on the cutting edge, be accountable and stay on their game.)

Step Two: Put Your Hustle In The RIGHT Place

I learned from my coaches that you need to put your hustle in the RIGHT place, not just any place. In 2010 I hustled for everything everywhere because I was starting my own business from scratch after a 20 year career as an Emmy winning TV news anchor and investigative reporter. In 2010, I felt like I was one dog and pony show away from being a country singer. I pledged no more exhaustion, but instead strategy.

So, what hustle will add a zero? With 22,000+ followers, strategically utilizing social media continues to open doors, create a loyal following and build my new consulting business. On the other hand, client lunches are time suckers. Where would it best pay off to put YOUR hustle? Where are you spinning your wheels? Chart out your week and I think you’ll be surprised by the time suckers and the big payoffs.

Step Three: Take “Should” Out of Your Vocabulary

Sometimes do you feel like you’re being “should” all over? How often do you do something for your business because you’re told you should.  Strike the word! It will cost you time, effort and money. For example, you’ve spent years with a networking group because you’re told you “should”. Have you ever gotten a client or earned a dollar because of those events? Maybe YOU need to decide what’s right for your business or which networking group (if any) is right for you.

These are just a few of the things that can help you GAIN in 2011 instead of LOSE. The right coach, the right hustle and doing what works for you can and will make a difference in this new year. But remember don’t just plan to do those things but instead actually DO them. It’s not an easy resolution for 2011 but it’s a good way to make this your best year ever! Good luck! And I’d love to hear from you what’s working and the gains you make: Cindy@CindyWMorrison.com.

Cindy Morrison is the Emmy award winning TV Broadcaster who has successfully reinvented herself after the economy lead to corporate downsizing. Leaving a 20 year news career behind, Cindy wrote a book called, “Girlfriends 2.0”  and hit the speaking circuit and created her own consulting business. She now coaches entrepreneurs to corporate executives to reboot, upgrade and reinvent by using powerful tools like social media, branding and video presence. Tory Johnson, the founder of Spark and Hustle and the workplace contributor on Good Morning America calls Cindy her favorite social media strategist and Stiletto Magazine named her one of the Top 25 Most Amazing Women in America. Cindy’s story has been featured everywhere from FOX News to CBS’s “The Talk” and The Wall Street Journal to the Times Square Gossip page. Twitter @CindyWMorrison

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